1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for a gas separator for separation of gas mixtures into outputs having higher concentrations of selected constituent gases, and particularly to a continuous gas separator that operates at relatively low pressures, such as partial atmospheric pressure, or less.
2. Description of Related Art
It is generally desirable to separate constituent gases of a gaseous mixture for a variety of applications. For example, the constituent gases of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, etc., are often separated from air, using numerous different methods. Methods for such separation often require the use of massive and/or complex equipment, and consume a large amount of energy. Consequently, bottled gas (pressurized or liquefied) is predominantly used for many smaller-scale applications in which a relatively pure gas is required. Except for a few specialized industrial processes, continuous, on-demand gas separation methods that use ambient air as a feedstock are generally too expensive and/or not technically feasible for many applications in which gaseous separation may be beneficial.
For example, for combustion engine applications, it may be beneficial to enrich intake air with oxygen, to enable increased power or efficiency. Separating oxygen and nitrogen from air, however, presents a difficult challenge. Oxygen has only a slightly greater electronegativity than nitrogen, and under many conditions oxygen and nitrogen may both be ionized negatively in the presence of an electric field or other ionizing radiation. For example, ionization of both oxygen and nitrogen can occur in the ionosphere under the influence of ultraviolet light. However, mere application of a static electric field to an ionized mixture may not achieve the desired degree of separation under many conditions.
It is desirable, therefore, to optimize ionization and separation of oxygen from air in a gas separator of the type disclosed in the parent applications, with minimal or no increase in cost or complexity. An improved gas separator may be operated, for example, to enhance the oxygen content of intake air for an internal combustion engine.